Apr 11, 2003 APEX attracted 7,200 total visitors (attendees and exhibitors) to the Anaheim Convention Center, which housed 393 booths covering more than 157,200 net square feet of exhibit space. The APEX professional development courses welcomed 650 participants and 620 people attended the technical conference. Also, this year�s event attracted the highest ever attendance for IPC�s forum for EMS executives, with a total of 65 senior level managers.
�We are quite proud that despite current economic conditions in the industry, APEX continues to productively advance the industry,� said Denny McGuirk, IPC president. �And a large number of comments heard from exhibitors and attendees point to a fourth consecutive successful APEX exhibition and conference.�
Ken Bliss, Bliss Industries, illustrated this point in his post-show statements. �We went with minimal expectations, but we came home with more than expected. We got the best leads I have seen for the last two years, with some very serious buyers stopping by our booth. We will be back next year. IPC has always put on a great show.�
�We expected a very low head count and saw more than we anticipated,� said Rob Fischer, EMC Global Technologies, Inc. �The part I'm happiest with is that more than half of our leads were not from southern California. This shows that they were there for a reason. Kudos to IPC and I look forward to next year�s show.�
Attendee Todd Streater, Alcatel, added: �I came to APEX looking for design solutions to assembly and quality problems that our contract manufacturers are experiencing. Specifically, I came looking for materials and components to automate heat sink attachment and SMT replacements for through-hole connectors and headers. I was also interested in NPI/DFM automation software. I found all that I was looking for. It was worth the trip.�
Next year, IPC will co-locate APEX and IPC Printed Circuits Expo� on February 24-26, 2004, at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, Calif. The combined show floor will be the largest North American exhibition for the entire electronics industry.
For more information about APEX 2003 or next year�s show, contact Joe Dudeck, IPC communications manager, at JoeDudeck@ipc.org or 847-790-5371.
About IPC SMEMA Council�s APEX
APEX has been organized by the IPC SMEMA Council in response to an industry need for a trade show that is cost-effective and fair for exhibitors, and highly focused on the products and technology of the electronics assembly industry. This approach, coupled with a premier conference program, organized by the industry, delivers the most attractive package to
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